An Ife couple , related exemplare, "Ife", Frank Willet, 1957, page 37, plate 10, with a fragmentary, similar exemplare, which was found in Ita Yemoo, 1957, backside, page 75, plate III, text on site 72, on the right arm von the female sculpturte is an unprofessional repair, which was done obviously later.

"Bronzefigurenpaar, das 1957 in Ita Yemoo gefundenwurde. Die männliche Figur trägt die Zeichen der Macht, die denen gleichen, welche man auf Tafel 6 erblickt, doch die Arme dieser Figur sind miteinander in einer Geste verhakt, die wahrscheinlich ehedem ihre Bedeutung hatte, welche heute kaum noch erraten werden kann."
"The question of fundamental dating - still one of the main questions of Benin research - Wolf approaches, however, always very carefully and with respect. He makes it clear that must remain open, whether his cognition actually" solid clues to the individual by no means completed dating of the Bronzes. "Sylvia Dolz, Treasures of Africa / Benin, the donation Baessler, Museum of Ethnology Dresden, 2006, page 13.

The cited Siegfried Wolf was a scientist and ethnologist, Sylvia Dolz arguesaccording of this point of view that neither a natural sciences (especially TL and metallurgical analysis) nor an art-historical / stylistic method alone lead to useful results in terms of age determination. Only a combination of several reviews can lead to useful results. For us as scientific laymen, it is not possible to make relevant, extremely complex analyzes, so we can not give any information on the age and associated possible restitution claims. We have bought this item as a 20th century copy, we imported the sculpture with legal export licences, and we will resell it as well: a good copy.

This sculpture can be visited in the Wolfgang Jaenicke Gallery, Berlin, Invitation1.8.19

TL Analysis 600 years + / - 16 % by Kotalla

sold

Height: 54 cm
Weight: 13,5 kg